Lagos AG laments dearth of records

The Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Ade Ipaye, has bemoaned the neglect records and facts about development in the country.

Ipaye stated this at the launch of a book, entitled: Lagos State Book of Facts-its history, geography, polity, economy, written by a lawyer, Mr Anthony Aladekomo, at the Bar Centre, Ikeja.

He commended the book, which he noted, is a collection of essential information, historical and geographical and economic facts on Lagos.

He said: “I so much appreciate it because it is always profitable to have a reference point, to have historical details to refer to.

“So when we see a publication now that has assembled mere facts from different administration, I think it’s such a useful piece of publication”.

Ipaye said people should not see it as the responsibility of the government alone to keep records and facts about the society.

“All over the world, the most authoritative encyclopedia, publications, historical analyses have not been issued by officials of government. It is basically done by private people, researchers or research institutions. So, it is nothing strange at all,” he said.

He challenged lawyers to write books on different subjects to preserve records and facts about places in the society.

“The publication of this book should encourage lawyers to write books. The interest could be in features, poems”, he added.

The Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja Chapter, Mr Monday Ubani, who unveiled the book, in his remarks, urged lawyers to take more interest in governance.

Ubani, in apparent reference to the performance of governors Babatunde Raji Fashola, Sullivan Chime and Godswill Akpabio of Lagos, Enugu and Akwa Ibom, said lawyers have so far proved to be better governors.

The author, Aladekomo said he was motivated to pursue the writing of the book in line with the provisions of section 24, particularly paragraphs (b) and (d) of the 1999 constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria, as amended.